Former Coca-Cola head joins Cavitus and opens US office

Doug Dichting, former VP at Del Monte Foods, The Coca-Cola Company and Schweppes Beverages has joined Cavitus as president and opened an office in Atlanta, Georgia.

Cavitus headquarters is based in Australia and has plants in Malaysia and Switzerland. Its Ultrasonic technology is a defoaming unit with a sonotrode which is mounted between a filler and a capper one inch above a bottle top or can on a processing line.

Beverage Line Efficiency

Doug Dichting

The company services the beverage industry with its Beverage Line Efficiency technology (BLE) and the dairy industry with its Spray Drying Efficiency technology (SDE).

Dichting told FoodProductionDaily, the expansion will focus on business opportunities in the food and beverage industry in Canada, the US and Central and South America.

“Cavitus has a range of technologies which improves production line efficiency in the F&B industry such as soft drink plants where bottles are filled and caps are put on the bottles,” he said.

“We use ultrasonics to reduce the foam, which means our technology allows manufacturers to run their production lines 10% faster and at higher temperatures.

“With our patented Ultrasonic technology nothing touches the product or goes into the package. The system basically implodes the bubbles on the inside.”

Quicker time frame

Dichting joined the company last month and is currently hiring a team of five sales staff and has recently employed an office manager to co-ordinate the logistics of deploying the equipment from its factory in Switzerland to the US.

“The business is literally just rolling out and we plan to double the workforce in one year. If someone applies for the job from Coca-Cola, they are perfect for the role and I would hire them,” he added.

“We chose Atlanta to be near one of our key clients and because of the vibrant business community, ease of doing business and excellent flight connections in and out of Atlanta airport.

“Having a base in the US, means Cavitus can provide service and support to American customers in a much quicker time frame.”

The Coca-Cola Company

Nigel Hall, CEO, Cavitus, said while at The Coca-Cola Company, Dichting was head of global packaging and director of strategic planning for the company’s concentrate manufacturing organization.

“The fact we have been able to attract Doug Dichting, a former VP with the Coca-Cola organization, is a big win for Cavitus and a sign we are transitioning from an Australian regional player into a global partner for many of our blue chip clients,” he said.

Dichting added he believes his background is a great match for the firm because with 20 years’ experience in the industry he understands the problems customers have and how to help them.

“I know first-hand the challenges that confront food and beverage manufacturers and the technology that is required to make their plants more productive,” he said.

“I wish I’d heard of this technology before because it would have made my job a lot easier.

“In my previous job I was growing the brand and increasing profits. Now, I am increasing the profits of our customers through this patented technology.”